Ocular Manifestations among Systemic Tuberculosis Cases: A Hospital Based Study from Nepal

Aim: To study the frequency of various ocular manifestations in diagnosed cases of active pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis in two different major hospitals in Nepal. Method: A hospital based, cross sectional descriptive study was conducted in the National Tuberculosis Centre, Bhaktapur and BP Koirala Lions Center for Ophthalmic Studies (BPKLCOS), Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Kathmandu, Nepal during a period of 18 months from February 2010 to August 2011. Diagnosed cases of systemic tuberculosis were evaluated by ophthalmologists for any ophthalmic manifestations. Results: There were 585 cases in the study. 399 (68%) were cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and 186 (32%) were that of extra pulmonary tuberculosis. Ocular manifestations were seen in 2.6% (15 patients) of the study population; 1.25% (6 patients) in cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and 5.37% (9 patients) in extra pulmonary tuberculosis cases. Uveitis (40%) followed by papilloedema (33%) were the two most common ocular manifestations. Of the 25 affected eyes of 15 patients, 2 eyes of patients with choroiditis involving the macular area were legally blind. Majority of the affected cases (67%) had bilateral involvement. Conclusion: Ocular manifestations in tuberculosis vary greatly ranging from mild episcleritis to potentially blinding posterior uveitis, clinical acumen being of great importance in timely diagnosis and treatment so that vision threatening complications can be prevented. Ocular manifestations are more common in extra pulmonary tuberculosis cases.